Childhood Memories
by ashleyjordan
Summary: On a rainy day, James and Carlos are walking home from school, planning to have a sleepover at the Garcia household. Follow the two boys in a series of memories focused on school, splashing in puddles, sharing a bed and experiancing their first storm.
1. Childhood Memories

_Hello one and all! I have not uploaded anything in a really long time, I'm realy sorry about that! Anyways, I have developed a deep adoration for Big Time Rush and I have many stories headed your way, so please be patient with me as I try to write and publish everything. I suggested this idea to TheRescuer2 who wrote a one shot story for me called, "Support", you should go read it, it's really cute! Anyways, I really liked my idea so I am expanding on it and it'll be a lot longer and how I had originally invisioned it. I would really appreciate any reviews or feedback, critique and any ideas and suggestions are good as well! Enjoy!_

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A loud ringing sound filled the air, disturbing the quiet third grade classroom where the students were busily working on multiplication and division worksheets.

"Alright that's all for today class," A young woman, presumably around twenty seven years of age, stood up from her desk, announcing to the class,

"Make sure you complete your worksheets and bring them back tomorrow! Push in your chairs and then wait by the door when you are ready to leave."

"Yes Miss Amber!" They all chimed in unison, excitedly packing away their pencils and folders into their backpacks. Gliding metal against floorboards could be heard as the youngsters did as they were told, pushing their chairs beneath their desks in haste, pretending as if it were a game and whoever obeyed the order first won. In a scramble, they rushed to grab their extra belongings from their cubby holes, such as their tin lunchboxes, crayons and colored pencils as well as their raingear. Once everyone had grabbed their things, they crowded around the door in anticipation of being released from school. Miss Amber gently pushed her way through the myriad of tiny bodies all packed together, tucking a strand of her auburn hair behind her ear as she grasped the door handle,

"You may leave but remember to wear your raincoats and don't forget your umbrellas!" She twisted the door handle and stepped back as to not be swept away in the crowd of squirming bodies and backpacks who were whooping and yelling due to their new found freedom,

"See you all on Monday!" A charming smile lit her face as she waved good bye to her young charges. It instantly was replaced with a frown as she bellowed down the hallway at a young boy who was zig zagging rapidly through the crowd,

"Oh for heaven's sake, walk Jimmy! And Elizabeth come back you…forgot your assignment book." Before the petite teacher could call out to the unaware student, the rush of children was gone, leaving Miss Amber alone in her classroom, the young girl's forgotten homework packet still in her hand. She returned to her desk, slipping down into her chair, shaking her head slightly, wondering how in the world she ended up teaching fifth and six year old children as a living. It is not as though she minded them really; they were just overly loud and filled with energy, most likely due to their fruit juice boxes and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that their mother's packed them for their lunch. She sighed, setting the folder on the corner of her desk; Elizabeth would receive it as well as a reprimand the following Monday. She gathered her briefcase, filling it with papers to grade and parent permission slips for the upcoming field trip to the county zoo that she had forgotten to pass out that afternoon. Once the room was in decent shape, Miss Amber quickly fastened her green scarf around her neck and flicked off the light switch, leaving her class room in moderate darkness. The door shut with a soft hiss, the jingle of keys audible down the hall way as the lady locked the door to her room. Her low heels made clicking noises as she proceeded down the corridor, passing by sheets of paper with cruedly drawn yet colorful stick figures, supposedly resembling the child and their family members, each one individually painted by the students. They were stapled to the blank walls, serving as meager decorations for the parent teacher conference that was to be held next Thursday. On her way, she passed by open doors, calling out cheerful goodbyes to her fellow employees, glad that she was fifteen minutes away from a warm cup of coffee and the comfort of her large plush chair settled next to the fireplace. She shoved her pleasurable thoughts behind her, needing to focus on getting home rather than simply fantasying about it. Her walk briskened, leading her to the main entrance of Maplewood's elementary school, where she firmly shut the iron wrought gate behind her before she headed into the parking lot, in search of her sapphire blue Honda civic, a vehicle she had worked long and hard to save up for. The wind was picking up, her loose bangs flew across her forehead as she began to feel the cold set in, scurrying it's way through her light coat.

"It looks like it's about to rain." She mused to herself, hoisting her scarf more securely about her shoulders, marching over to the back of the parking lot where she had parked her car that morning. Miss Amber hurriedly unlocked it, chucking her briefcase to the empty space that was the passenger seat, shaking off her damp heels before sliding inside the warm compartment. Fastening her seatbelt and twisting her keys in the ignition, Miss Amber caused the reasonably new car to roar into life in a matter of seconds. She tugged the scarf away from her neck, checking her rear view mirrors before slowly pulling out from the parking spot and into the road, flicking her head lights on before starting her journey home.

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_So that was a pretty short first chapter, pretty vague as well but don't worry, the next part is to come soon! Oh and I promise it'll be a whole lot more interesting than Miss Amber driving home hehe. Until next time and reviews are loved :)_


	2. Minnesota Skyline

_The appearance of the boys, the story will start moving from here, please keep reading and tell me what you think :)_

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A little boy, a smile still apparent on his face although he was doubled over with the strain of a heavy backpack on his tiny shoulders, made his way through the crowded hallway, trying his best not to get in anyone's way. He slipped in between two girls who were busy discussing what type of hair accessories they were going to buy with their weekly allowance,

"Ladies!" He cheekily said, a huge smile lighting up his face. The girls giggled, used to the Latino boy's way of addressing them, not knowing why this greeting made them blush and neither did Carlos. They made room for him to pass by, knowing that he was heading against traffic to the opposite third grade classroom. Unfortunately for him, the hall was filling up with the bodies of students of all ages, now that the older kids had been released from their classes as well. Children such as Carlos only had their backpacks to worry about but that did not stop them to slightly worry about getting knocked over by some unobservant preteen on their way to retrieve their belongings from their locker. As this was the case, Carlos picked up his pace, dodging below arms carrying books and weaving between groups of friends. It was chaos, barely any room to move, the constant fear of being trampled nagging at the back of the young boys mind. He shifted his weight as he took yet another step forward but it was the wrong move for as he did so, a trio of boys crashed into him, sending him tumbling to the right. The weight of his heavy backpack tipped him over, causing Carlos to free fall, unable to use his hands for support as he plummeted backwards. Suddenly, Carlos felt the warmth of a strong hand as it gripped his own, stopping his body from colliding with the hard ground.

"I've got you." A familiar voice reached his ears, causing Carlos to open his eyes that he had clenched during his descent.

"James!" He instantly broke out into a wide smile that practically enveloped his entire face as he beamed up into the face of his best friend, a lengthy kid with shaggy brown hair hanging slightly past his earlobes.

"Hey buddy! Those guys giving you trouble?" James questioned, tipping his head in the direction of the boys who had fled the scene upon impact.

"Nah, it was an accident." Carlos claimed, tugging at James's arm to pull him back onto his feet. He steadied himself and straightened out his jacket before smiling once more at his taller friend,

"I'm fine! I'm tougher than I look." Carlos striked a pose, flexing his arm as if he were in the world championship for weightlifting.

"If you say so." James ran a hand through his hair, fixing a stay bang that had gotten disheveled when he had rescued Carlos. The scrawny youth began walking down the hallway which was almost deserted at this point, "Let's go."

"Yeah!" Carlos chimed, catching up to his friend and matching his stride length with his, "I was planning on being the first one out of here but then I remembered to come back for you."

"Oh gee, thanks for remembering me!" James exclaimed, pushing open the door for them to exit through,

"Don't mention it." The smaller boy nodded as he crouched under the arch that was James's forearm. The brunette rolled his eyes good naturedly, knowing that his friend had no idea that he was being sarcastic. They stepped out into the main courtyard; a series of flowerbeds littered the side walk leading up to the school's main office and entry way. The parking lot lay to the right, a zone off limits to students. They paused for a moment, gazing longingly at the shiny cars belonging to teachers and parents who had arrived to pick up their sons and daughters. They turned away, beginning the short distance to Carlos's house which was a few blocks from the school.

"I so want to get a red sports car when I grow up!" Carlos began, his mind filled with thoughts of speeding away into the sunset, riding in a sleek vehicle, the windows down, the wind in his hair and a pair of cool shades perched on his nose.

"What type of car would you get?" He tugged on James arm sleeve, eagerly awaiting the boy's response. James in turn scratched his chin, looking up into the darkening sky for inspiration.

"A black Ferrari would be nice."  
"What's a Ferrari?" Carlos looked up, curious because of the new word. James shrugged, kicking a stone along the blunt concrete sidewalk as they continued talking,  
"I don't know, but my dad always talks about getting one and I wanna be just like him." James smiled to himself, lost in the thought of being anything close to his dad, the man he admired most in the world.

"Me too!" James let the stone fall where his last kick had sent it, whirling around to face his friend,  
"You wanna be like my dad?" James asked, clearly shocked. Carlos stopped by a tree planted near the road, placing his hand on the damp bark as he used his other hand to grip his sides laughing,

"No no! I want to be like _my _dad!" He put emphasis when he said the word "my" as to not get his meaning confused again. "He's a police officer and gets to cruise around in an awesome black and white car with flashing lights!"

"That's cool!" James exclaimed. Carlos puffed out his little chest slightly, swelling with pride,

"I know, he's the best. He even said that he'll take me for a ride in it when I'm older!"

"Wow, you're so lucky!" James shouted, his full attention on the Latino besides him, "Could I come too?" Carlos slyly grinned, glancing up at his friend out of the corner of his eye,

"Maybe!"

"Aw come on, please Carlos!" James held out the syllables of the please, whining in want. Carlos began laughing again, much to James's dismay.  
"I'd let you ride in my police car _if_ I had one! You know I would!" James pleaded, attempting to guilt-trip his height-impaired friend. Carlos immediately stopped, guilt spreading through him like a wild fire, like James knew it would,

"Of course I'd let you ride in my dad's car! I was going to tell you that from the beginning, but it was too much fun bothering you!" James folded his arms across his chest, letting out a loud "hmph" to show his displeasure. Carlos clung to his friend's arms, basically swinging from them, his feet an inch off the ground, standing on his tiptoes as he pleaded with his best friend,

"Don't be that way James!" He dropped his gaze, staring down into the dirt, "You are the only person I wanted to ask anyways."  
"Really?" James asked, slightly taken aback at the information he had just recieved, a special sort of happiness flooding his heart at the fact that Carlos had only wanted to include him.  
"Really, really!" Carlos smiled and this time James returned it. He lowered his arms, allowing Carlos to regain his footing and shouted,

"Then what are we waiting for! Let's go ask your dad for a ride right now!" He took off at a sprint, his long legs carrying him a few yards away from his stunned companion.

"Wait James! My dad's at work!" Carlos ran after him, a hand reaching out in protest for him to stop, "Besides, my dad said we had to wait until we're ten!" James skidded to a halt, his feet almost sliding on the wet cement,

"Aww ten? But that's a whole year away!" Carlos came up behind him, clutching his knees as he labored to catch his breath, his sentence breaking when he inhaled,

"Yeah I know. B-but don't…worry. We'll get to…in no time!"

"Ok great!" James patted Carlos on the back, glancing down to realize that the Spaniard was still breathing heavy, the thick, cold air not helping him breathe any easier.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'll be fine, I'm just not as good of a runner as you." A brilliant white flash appeared on James's light skin, showing off one of the many natural features of beauty that the boy possessed. As James waited for Carlos to be ready to move again, he noticed the clouds piling above them. They looked nasty and mean, dark grey overwhelming the usually puffy, bright clouds of Minnesota's skyline. It was then that he felt the first raindrop plummet from the sky. It brushed across his cheek, sliding down until it fell off once it reached the tip of the boy's chin.

"Carlos, it's starting to rain!" He gazed up into the sky, relishing the feeling as dainty raindrops brushed against his skin,

"Oh it is! We'd better hurry up!" He stood up, gripping the straps of his backpack in determination, "Don't worry, my house is only a few more blocks away!" James chuckled to himself as they picked up their pace,

"I know, I've been there before."

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_Whew, two chapters in one night! I am pretty proud of myself because that's a first! Sorry that they are kinda short, I haven't put that much effort into this because I'm just trying to pump out this story before college starts(but that's too late since I start on the 1st, which is tomorrow). Oh well, I hope I can get the next chapter up soon for you all-onto the third! Review please!_


	3. Puddle Jumping

Sorry for not posting this sooner, college just started and it's taking awhile getting used to all the homework, clubs, activities, working out, eating, meeting and making new friends….but mainly homework, so it's just a little difficult to find time to write fanfiction, let alone read/reveiw other people's. So from now on, this is what is to be expected: I have some free time on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, I mainly use them for homework but if all my work is done, I will definitely work on my stories, because these are so much better! So those are the days I'm setting aside to work, and I have more time on the weekends so we'll see if I have the next part written, edited and ready to submit. Just letting you know, so you wouldn't worry about me not submitting in awhile :) Read and review, thanks so much guys!

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The wind whistled through the trees, making them sway together similar to how a wave rolls together as one before it crashes and breaks upon a rocky shore. Rain was falling in larger droplets now, hardly anything more than a moist mist. It did not affect the two small figures that could be seen by any person passing by in a car along the side of the road. If they stopped to listen, they would have heard lively banter being tossed back and forth, revolving around the most serious of topics, such as who the best Power Ranger was and what was better, a cat or a dog.

"Dogs are way better Carlos, end of story!"

"But come on James, don't you just love cats? They are so fluffy!"

"Yeah but they have pretty bad attitudes. Don't you remember what Mrs. Willis's cat did to you last summer?" Tears began to well up in the third graders eyes at the awful memory,

"All I wanted to do was pet Smokey! Why'd he have to leap out and attack me? He bit my face!"

"And clawed at your arms and stomach," James mentioned, shaking his head in disappointment at his friend's foolishness for picking up a cat when it was feeding, "you had scabs for two weeks!" Carlos sniffed and held his right elbow with his hand where a faint scar still remained due to the cranky feline.

"Maybe a dog would be better." Carlos admitted reluctantly. James nodded in agreement,  
"Yeah, I bet you'd be a way better dog person! Who knows, maybe you'll get one for your birthday or when you grow up?"

"Yeah that'd be great! Then I could ride him around and be a super hero and-" Carlos was cut off mid rant by James who asked exasperatedly,  
"Carlos what kind of super hero rides on a dog?"

"The awesome kind!" They both wound up laughing, James content with letting his friend have his fun although he honestly did not think any super hero riding around on a dog would be that cool.

"Oh look James!" Carlos ran over to a mirror of shimmery liquid that appeared like smooth glass on the side walk.  
"Huh?" James asked but turned around too late, for Carlos had already jumped into the puddle, sending a cascade of muddy water from the previous rainstorm onto the unsuspecting James who instantly cried out,

"Ah Carlos, my hair!" He clutched his head, shielding it from the rain water sprinkling down on him, both from the sky as well as from the Latino who was still splashing away merrily in the middle of the small collection of water,

"Sorry!" Carlos called, jumping from that puddle to the next one he spotted.  
"Come on James, this is fun!" James mumbled something under his breath about how good friends don't ruin their friends hair and that he should go home to fix it when finally he sighed, inwardly thinking to himself,

"_It's already messed up so…why not?"_ Soon he was splashing right along with Carlos, both of them soaked through their jackets to the skin with rain water that was steadily falling down upon the two friends who had not a care in the world.

They were nearing Carlos's house, coming to the stop sign between Wyndham and Chester, Wyndham being the main road that lead to the school as well as to the super market and the sparingly few department stores that belonged to the city of Hitteral. They made a left and walked along Chester, passing by houses that belonged to Carlos's neighbors, familiar with the buildings and people that he had known all his life. He thought of himself extremely lucky for finding a friend in James, a boy he met a few years ago in kindergarten and has been inseparable with since. He was surprised that they were such close friends, especially since it was such a long drive to get to the other side of town, or so he thought while in reality it was only a fifteen minute drive, probably even ten minutes if his papa drove him. He always remembered having James as a friend but it was not until this year that their friendship was really established. The first day that Carlos saw James was the second week of kindergarten, when Carlos was on his way to the playground. He remembered how he had clambered over the side of the sand box, bucket and shovel in hand. He was not looking where he was going, as Carlos often did not, and bumped into another person. In the process of his clumsiness, he accidently destroyed the sand castle the child had been working on. The boy erupted into tears, distraught that all his hard work had been ruined. Carlos squatted down next to the brown haired boy, patting his shoulder with a chubby hand, telling him not to cry. The boy whimpered, drying his eyes with a tiny fist before cracking one hazel eye open to look at this terrible monster who took pleasure in walking around and smashing other people's sand creations. The grieving child looked on amazed, surprised to find that this fiend was smiling kindly back at him, his warm dark brown eyes seeming to twinkle as he wore a huge, perfectly white smile on his face. A few minutes passed when finally, the smile seemed contagious and was soon picked up by the hazel-eyed boy who was no longer crying. The two continued smiling at each other, Carlos being the first to break the silence,

"Hi I'm Carlos. What's your name?" The lighter boy nervously spoke up, not used to people treating him so friendly,

"J-James Diamond." The darker child stated bluntly, his hands cupping his knees as he looked eagerly into the face of the shy boy,

"James Diamond is a cool name-diamonds are so pretty!" James glanced down, a rosy blush accenting his cheeks as Carlos continued, "Let's be friends!" He stuck out his hand, like his papa had taught him to do whenever he met someone new. James looked at it oddly for a moment before taking the offered pal into his hand, never having learning proper manners from his parents or the correct and formal way of introducing himself to people. Holding the other boy's hand tightly, he agreed happily,

"Okay!" And from that day on, they were friends, constantly doing things together-the first step was meeting each other's parents, scheduling a few initial play dates before it simply became a habit for either the Pena's or Diamond's to see the other child there at their household. Carlos thought back upon his first memory of James fondly, laughing to himself as he remembered how nervous, unsure and feminine James had appeared when he first had met him.

"What?" James asked, noticing that the tan skinned boy was giggling about something and he wanted in on the laughter.

"Oh nothing-" James shot him an exasperated look that Carlos knew far too well, resulting in a hurried explanation, "Fine, I was just thinking about how girly you are!" James jaw dropped in shock, not expecting that random comment to come from his friend's mouth,

"I'm not girly Carlos!"

"You seem pretty girly to me, especially when you whine like that ha-ha!" Carlos laughed, finding amusement out of his joke. James lifted up a finger in protest but instantly slapped a hand across his mouth to keep himself from complaining, which would only prove Carlos's point. Carlos leaned closer to his friend, jokingly offering James a statement,

"I bet you were going to say that that doesn't prove anything, am I right?" James nodded, his eyebrows knit in frustration. Carlos patted him on the back, continuing on his walk,

"Don't worry about it buddy, some of us just aren't fortunate enough to be as beautiful as you are." James's eyes widened, once again taken aback by his friend's brashness,

"D-do you really mean that?" Carlos shrugged, digging his hands into his tony pockets before responding,

"Yeah, why?"

"Oh no reason, I was just wondering." The corner of James's mouth turned up in a smug smile, while he copied Carlos by placing his cold finger tips into the security of his jacket's pockets, contentment and joy flooding his heart with warmth.

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Aww I just thought it would be so cute for James to realize that he is beautiful at a young age…and at least he knows that his best friend thinks he is so attractive :D On a side note, I lost my voice completely and now I am really raspy and sound super ridiculous when I talk. The worst is when I meet new people for the first time who look at me funny and think that this my real voice. Hopefully I'll get better soon, I auditioned for my college's play and for the choir, I got into University Choir as 1st Alto and I got chosen to sing one of the songs for the cabaret/musical theater group(which is a choir performance with the theme of a song from any animated movie. I have one that I am using, it's from An American Tale: Fievel Goes West called "Dreams to Dream". Give me suggestions of a great animated son?). Back to the story, I am almost done writing the next chapter so look forward to more. Please make a review, it would make my day :)


	4. Leaf Boats

_I know, I know that I said that I'd have this posted up this weekend but turns out that that didn't happen…a day later(Monday) is still pretty good though. I am so happy that I've already gotten 5 reviews, that's the most I've ever received in my lifetime of being on this site so I really appreciate it and would love if you made one, telling me what you think and what I could do better on. Enjoy!_

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They passed by Mrs. Walker's house, a signal that Carlos's home was only two more houses away. Carlos walked to the edge of the concrete, balancing alongside the gutter while he watched the collective rainwater rush by,  
"Yep I knew I was right, always am." Carlos randomly stated, indicating that he had known the directions to his house, regardless of the fact that they had taken three wrong turns into other neighborhoods. He was distracted however, focusing on keeping his balance.  
"No you're not!" James burst out, giving Carlos a light tap on the back, unable to help himself avoid the opportune moment to get Carlos back for his insult. Carlos landed in the road, half of his jacket submerged in rain water, his hands supporting the upper half of his body weight. He heaved himself into a standing position, holding the edges of his jacket out to the side, watching as a thin line of water trailed off of the ends of his coat.  
"Ha-ha good one James! But this still doesn't prove that you're not like a girl!" He cracked up, both of them laughing helplessly at his expense. Not only was Carlos laughing at his own predicament but also due to the explosion of his friend's emotion that appeared once again-each time James revolted and denied that he was beautiful, or more of feminine in this case, only proved that the Latino's point was accurate more and more, especially since Carlos's laughter was causing James to get flustered and feel self-conscious, taken aback yet again for being called a girl. To take his mind off of his friend's humiliation and denial, Carlos spotted a bunch of leaves crumpled beneath an elm tree, the raindrops falling like dew between the crevices and insertions of the leaf's fabric.  
"Oh whatever James, here-let's have a boat race!" He skipped over to the side of the road, crouching underneath the large tree and searching for the best constructed leaves. He came scrambling back to James's side, handing him a leaf he could use for their game.  
"Alright, remember…we have to let them go at the same time, no moving or touching them and whosever boat reaches my mail box first, wins! Alright?" Carlos turned and made sure James understood the rules, to which James nodded, inching towards the gutter, eager to start the race. They both lined up, Carlos standing off the edge of the street while James bent down across the edge of the cement walkway, holding his leaf boat by the stem, waiting for Carlos's orders. Carlos did the same, placing his reddish-brown hued leaf into the stream next to the green tinted leaf that belonged to James.  
"1,2, on your marks, get set…go!" He called, both of them releasing their prized boats at the same time. They each leapt up, jogging next to the stream, calling encouragements to their makeshift boats as they were whisked away on the surface of the sputtering gutter. The little leaves, heaved and twisted, spiraling as they were tumbled about by the fast current, pulling them past bits of garbage and clumps of mud and various other debris laying along the channel. The ditch water increased sped as the slope arched downhill at a slight angle, turning the long green leaf in a horizontal position while the stubbier frond shot down the straight away, avoiding stones resting to the left and right of the gutter. James cried out,  
"Oh no, mine's gonna hit the rocks!" He lurched forward, wishing to save his tiny leaf boat that was caught betwixt the stone valley. Carlos tapped James's outstretched fingers lightly as he snickered, running pas the boy to catch up to his boat who had taken the lead. James crouched in defeat next to his damaged ship, imploring it to budge but to no avail.  
"Hahah I win, I win!" Carlos yelled, dancing in a circle, holding his twig aloft. James scowled, plucking his leaf from the stream and marching over to the dark-haired boy's side,  
"Of coure you won, you got the better leaf!"  
"Nuh uh, I gave you that one because I thought that it would go faster, and it was winning before it got flipped sideways." To that, James fell silent, admitting defeat although it pained him. The two walked casually in silence, the rain beating heavier upon their backs and heads, dampening their hair and leaving wet trails along their cheeks and foreheads. Suddenly a crafty glint lit a set of hazel eyes as James bounded in front of Carlos, griping his hands with his as he bounced up and down excitedly,  
"Ok so you beat me…," He playfully caught the ends of Carlos's blue scarf, wrapping it around Carlos's head while he spoke, blocking his olive-skinned friend's vision with the wet fabric, "But I bet you can't beat me to your house!" At that, he took off in a sprint, a cascade of chuckles following behind him.  
"W-what?" Carlos asked, confused for a second, clawing the piece of cloth away from his face, before he lurched into motion; his tiny feet pounding against the wet pavement after the tall figure. "Hey wait, come back here James! That's not fair!" James just laughed harder, turning around to jog backwards, watching his friend's pathetic attempt to catch up,  
"Hurry up slow poke or I'm gonna win!" The shorter length of Carlos's stride did nothing to help the boy increase his speed. James marched in place, prepared to dart off the second Carlos arrived. He noticed that the tinier boy was still a few yards away and so he chanced a glace to the left, measuring the distance to the Garcia's abode.  
"Hmm about 3 kilometers," James thought to himself, guessing at the distance, pulling in the math term that they had learned in class that morning, not at all aware that a kilometer actually equals one thousand meters. Thus in total, James had proposed that the house which only lay about fifteen feet away was roughly 3 miles away. So much for him studying hard for his upcoming math test next Friday.  
A whoosh of color, tufts of black hair submerged beneath a navy blue curtain, sailed by. James eyes opened in shock, completely not expecting Carlos to catch up as fast as he did. Both of their faces broke into huge grins, eager to complete their race and find out who would turn out the victor.

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_So what did you think? Yeah I know it was short, sorry about that. I forgot to mention in the last chapter…I do not know where the boy's home town in Minnesota is supposed to be but I took the name "Hitteral" from 's story "Everyone of Us on A Mission" on fanfiction so I hope she does not mind and also check out her work, it's pretty cute as well. I like what they are doing in this chapter, it reminds me of what I did when I was little, I based it off of a family memory as well as how I met my best friend(the bit about Carlos and James in the playground, but that was from the previous chapter). I imagined this scene being way different and I feel as though I am writing them as if they weren't in third grade, but I'm doing the best I can so hopefully it's not annoying or anything. Once we get to their house, then the really adorable stuff begins so stay tuned! I can't wait to hear from you all! Anyways, we are nearing the house, what will happen next-who will win the race?_


	5. The Race

_Who will win the race? Read to find out :)_

_James Diamond & Carlos Pena, Big Time Rush (c) Nickelodeon, I own nothing._

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Warm vapor swirled in the air, blown about roughly from the nostrils and open mouths of two young boys, their chests heaving in effort to pump their limbs faster. The short dark haired child was a few paces ahead of his taller friend, whose eyes were glued to the figure before him. Determination coursed through James's entire being, seeming to fuel him forward, and closer to his friend in the distance as well as to the target they were aiming for: the Garcia household. Loud slaps and crunches could be heard as their tennis-shoed feet landed on the cold cement, rainwater spurting to the sides of the offending heels of their shoes. Carlos zipped past the mailbox, tapping its metal edge with a hand as he ran by. He arrived on the lawn first, followed by a confident James who was swiftly catching up. The grass flattened beneath their rubber soles, creating track patterns in the muddy lawn that stretched upwards from the cement to the porch of Carlos's home. Only a few more feet and they would reach the weathered porch, the toxins of the white paint corroded by the usual harsh temperament of Minnesota's winter, leaving the porch wood abrasive to the touch. An iron wrought table, a potted plant resting at its center, reclined beneath the archway of the roof which was supported by white pillars, each connected by a firm picket-fence railing. Two twin love seats resided besides the dark metal table, the pillows encased in a bright texture of turquoise blue and vibrant yellow dots creating a festive pattern across the seat cushions. A silver minivan was parked in the driveway, making it an obstacle in the runners' pathway. James spotted this a few seconds before Carlos did and in this case, being the one trailing after the person in first place had an advantage-Carlos had run along the sidewalk and was rounding the edge of the backside of the vehicle, making his way up the long side his mother's car while James darted across the lawn, avoiding the car all together by squeezing past the narrow space between the front rim of the car and the garage door. He popped out on the other side, abruptly jumping out in front of Carlos, assuming the lead. The air was thick, thick with moisture falling from the sky. James inhaled deeply, willing his arms and legs to pump harder and faster, spurring him on towards the doorway, Carlos hard on his heels. He could hear Carlos breathing, the puffs of exhaled air hitting his back, telling him that his friend was mere centimeters apart from taking the lead again. But no, James would not stand for it-not another defeat at the hands of Carlos. Dripping bangs smeared across his face, blown about by his frantic sprinting as well as being buffeted around by the pouring rain that was coming down in torrents now. Rough russet ret brick rose up in the form of four ledges, serving as a staircase from the first half of the front yard to the second, which was a small clearing of grass surrounded by a series of blue and violet Hyacinth bulbs poking through the earth while rosy pink and light yellow snapdragons bobbed in the wind, the hanging blooms dangling and chiming as if they were bells hanging from a church steeple. The lengthy brunette took the stairs two at a time, slipping beneath the awning of the porch and bounding up the final steps. Carlos and James aligned with each other, the shorter of the two surprisingly able to catch up and maintain a rapid speed for as long as it was necessary to beat James for this competition. But James was not going down without a fight; that he was sure of! Simultaneously, they sprinted up the stairs, their backpacks clattering and sending the inside contents spinning and careening within its fabric cage. Their breath was coming in short gasps now, each breath causing their lungs to labor, busy with the task of replacing the oxygen that was constantly being released from their ribcage. Almost, almost there…they were so close, an inch from reaching the door handle. Two hands shot out at once, stretching desperately towards the metal knob, their fingers groping the air as if beckoning the finish line to touch their skin first. And then it happened-the bow of Carlos's shoes had become loose without him noticing while he had dashed behind the car. The thin thread untied itself, trailing along the pavement until it got tugged under Carlos's foot, sending the small boy flying forwards. Meanwhile, James's face had lit up, his hand inches from the doorway when he felt his body lurch forward, the weight of Carlos's body sending them both crashing to the floor.

"Ow!" James groaned, his face slammed into the hard, wooden planks of the front porch, the weight of Carlos's body pinning him the ground. Carlos in turn lay on top of him, sinking into the flesh of his friend who had cushioned his fall. Stunned, they laid there, their heads spinning with bright lights and dashes of black spots on the outer rim of their cornea. James's leg twitched, having grown limp from the applied pressure on his back. Carlos snapped into motion, forgetting that he had been crushing his best friend,

"Oops, sorry James!" Carlos moved off of his friend, a relieved moan escaping James's body as Carlos's weight left him. James shakily pulled himself up, groggily stepping backwards, holding his head-trying to make it stop spinning in the process. In an instance, he felt solid wood behind him; his hands flew behind him to support himself as he realized that he had just bumped into the door.

"Yay you won!" Carlos shouted, his arms lifted into the air.

"Huh?" James asked, perplexed.

"You touched the door first silly." Carlos marched over to his friend, cupping his hand over that of James's which was pressed up against the wooden frame. "You won fair and square." A huge smile spread across his face in realization of his victory, matching the one that was always on the Latino boy's features.

"Hahah I suppose I did!" Carlos offered a hand, which James grasped eagerly, the smaller boy hoisting his much taller and larger friend up off of the floor with a minor amount of struggling on his part.

"Let's go inside-my mami's probably waiting for us." James nodded, retrieving his backpack that had been flung a few paces away during his crash. He slung it around his shoulders and turned back to Carlos,

"Alright, let's go inside."

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_Oh ho ho, anyone surprized that I let James win? I wouldn't be, he's the faster one anyways, what with his long legs ^-^_

_Sorry that it's short, all my chapters are short. It took me awhile to start this one and it's not the most exciting thing ever, for a race. Oh well, I hope you enjoy it and please please tell me what you think, I really appreciate hearing from you!_


	6. Bienvenido a Casa

**In honor of reaching 1.1k hits, 14 reviews, 9 favorites and author alerts to this story, I have decided to upload the next chapter! Hahah no, I was already planned on doing that but I haven't worked on this in a while because I have been preoccupied with "Sibling Remembrance" so I wanted to say sorry for that! But seriously, thank you so much to anyone and everyone who has either read or at least glanced at my stories, I really appreciate it and hope you continue to read, enjoy and make reviews for them!(thanks so much to all those who constantly review my stories and you know who you are :3) I can't thank you enough for at least reading some of my work, I really appreciate it! Also I have uploaded a new profile icon(of James and Carlos eating dinosaur chickens :D) so go look at my profile for a better view of it if you like! Anyways, onto the highly awaited 6****th**** chapter with the boys finally arriving at the Garcia household!**

**Disclaimer: I own-woah wait….no I don't own Big Time Rush, James or Carlos-how sad!**

**Translation:**

**bienvenido a casa-welcome home**

**mijo-sweet heart**

**PS: I am not very good at speaking Spanish so if I used anything incorrectly, I am sorry for that. I got my translations through a site called freetranslation dot com and the nice Spanish lady that works as the cashier at my Universitie's cafeteria, she always calls me "mija" which apparently means "sweet heart" ^-^**

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"Mama, we're home!" Carlos called, twisting the door knob and pushing inwards, allowing both James and himself enter his house. They stepped past the doorway, landing on the festive place mat. A puddle soon gathered underneath their rain boots as they shrugged out of their warm clothes, holding their disheveled coats in the crook of their arms as they began to tug off their scarfs. A sweet warble fluttered in from the adjoined room, the woman's voice calling out to her son,

"Ah Carlos, bienvenido a casa! Come to the kitchen once you're done mijo." Carlos handed his jacket to a waiting James who hung the particles of clothing up on the mantle, slightly stretching up to hang their sweaters and scarfs on the higher pegs of the coat rack that rested above the olive umbrella basin. The Latino boy scurried into the kitchen, eager to greet his waiting mother, while James tagged along behind him. As soon as Carlos's eyes laid on the figure of his mother, a jolly woman in the shape of an hourglass, all curves and smiles, he shouted,

"Mama!" The woman in particular turned her attention from the chopping vegetables on the cutting board to turn and greet her son. A tiny form bowled into her kneecaps, wrapping its arms around the turquoise skirt covering her legs; almost knocking the woman over but she maintained her balance by clutching the counter top.

"Gentle mijo!" The boy flashed a smile up at his mother, his face bright and cheeks rosy,

"Sorry! I just missed you." She patted his head, running her slender fingers through his short, trimmed hair.

"I missed you too." She bent down and cupped his chin, concern in her eyes, "I was starting to worry. What took you so long to get home?" Carlos rotated his head, staring directly at his previously ignored best friend who had remained standing in the entryway of the kitchen, leaning against the wall as he watched the touching reunion between the mother and son. Dramatically the black-haired boy pointed his finger and declared,

"Him, Mama!" James chuckled, unfolding his crossed arms.

"Hey it's not my fault you wanted to stop and have a boat race and splash in puddles." Immediately Carlos burst out, a chubby finger pressed to his lips,

"Shhh!" James walked forward until he reached the center of the room, a huge grin plastered to his face. He gripped his friend in a tight hug, his arm scooping around Carlos's neck, causing the boy to grumble in defeat that their secret was blown. Mrs. Garcia hummed, glancing at the coatrack that was visible from the hallway,

"That explains why you are so wet." She noticed a lone pair of mustard yellow rain boots settled on the placemat, realizing that they belonged to the shaggy, brow-haired boy who was standing in her kitchen besides her son, his feet concealed in a pair of stark white socks. Instantly, her eyes flashed in irritation once she saw a trail of soggy boot marks lining her clean kitchen floor,

"Ah Carlos, you didn't take off your boots! Go put them by the door!" Carlos suddenly crumpled under his mother's commanding tone, pulling off his boots as quick as he could. He scurried with them in his hands towards the door, not wanting to call down another explosion from his mother, who could be very scary when she needed to be. Mrs. Garcia sighed, returning to a standing position, finally able to greet her guest,

"Hello James." Their smiles matched the other, both white and warm.

"Hi Mrs. Garcia, long time no see!" James cheerily stated, cupping the back of his neck, feeling slightly awkward at not knowing what else to say. Isabella Garcia covered for him, coming up with a typical conversation piece while they wanted for Carlos to return,

"How's your family?" James simply shrugged,  
"Oh you know, same old same old. How are you?" The brown skin around the woman's eyes crinkled into a smile as she replied,

"Oh ho, so your dear mama has taught you well I see." She gave him a wink, nodding in approval that he was courteous enough to ask her about her well-being. James headed to the table, sliding into a wooden chair, his long legs extended beneath to oak surface. Isabella returned to her prior actions, slow and deliberate with the knife as she sliced through stalks of celery and carrots, still willing to continue the conversation,

"I am well, gracias." Her fingers flickered between vegetables, sliding the flat of the blade across the cutting board only to dump the chopped ingredients into a waiting bowl. As if on a side note, she nonchalantly commented,

"I am glad to see you and Carlos together, you make him happy." Warm eyes glanced up to meet hazel orbs that were filled with slight confusion due to the random comment.

"Uh…thanks?" James looked down into his lap, preoccupying his fingers with the task of drawing random patterns on the table's surface to mask his embarrassment, "I want to make him happy, he is my best friend after all." His comment only served to further increase the mother's smile; she was so thankful that her rambunctious son had found such a good friend in James, relieved that she had made the right choice to allow her family to move to Minnesota from Mexico in order to follow and support her husband's desired career path.

Her husband, Francisco Garcia, had originally been born a U.S. Citizen but had relocated to Mexico with his family when he had been a young child. Throughout the years, he returned to visit other family in the states and spent the summers off of the Gulf of Mexico, apparently very apt to warm weather, water sports, sailing and serving the community in his spare time between schooling and working as an intern to the Mexican police task force. How her husband had been recruited by the Minnesotan police force and had actually agreed to the position was beyond her understanding but as she had been taught by her abuela, that a good wife gives advice and does her best to support her family, as should a husband whose main function was to provide for the family unit. That was why Isabella, native of Baja California, had agreed to move her family to the bitter cold of northern America, trading the surf, sun and sand for timber, rain and snow.

Although Carlos had been too young to seriously know the difference between his native country and his new surroundings, Isabella was still concerned about how well her son would adjust and make friends. Apparently, she had no need to worry about Carlos making friends-he was a rather approachable child, always eager to make the first greeting and invite all the boys and girls to join him in a game of soccer or for a ride on the swirly slides and swings at the park. Often he appeared too forward in his approaches and his eagerness and crazy ventures sometimes frightened the other children away from becoming a lasting friend. At least James Diamond, the boy sitting at her dinner table-the child whom her son had met all those years ago at the sandbox-took the time to get to know him and soon learned how wonderful a person Carlos could be. They soon developed a close friendship and James had remained her son's constant companion and was now officially Carlos's best friend, the bond they shared spanning more than five years.

Isabella sighed, pouring olive oil over the vegetables before pushing the dish into the oven and rotating the switch to the right. A single digit imputed the time needed for the meal to cook on the oven's timer, then the entire hand followed by the arm dropped to her apron, brushing off flecks of vegetables and sauce from the fabric.

"School going well?" James looked up from the table, dropping his hand into his lap as he diverted his sole attention on his friend's mother, knowing he had to answer in a serious manner,

"Yeah, we are doing great. We just learned how to do multiplication."

"Oh my…they taught you that already? It feels as though just yesterday, you both were still little kindergarteners playing in the backyard." Instinctively, James inclined his head towards the window, glimpsing the backyard where he had spent so many long days and constant hours digging through the mud for worms or catching butterflies in the tall patch of sunflowers that were planted in the left corner of the yard. The corners of the window were hidden by a light yellow curtain, making the scene difficult to see. Despite this drawback, James peered through the glass, noticing how the sky appeared bruised and black, much darker than it had been when they were walking to the Garcia household on the way back from school. He was about to point out the impending storm to Mrs. Garcia but he lost his train of thought when he rotated around in his chair at the sound of his friend's voice,

"Who's a kindergartener Mama?" Carlos asked, finally returning to join the others in the kitchen, wiping his hands together to rid himself of the traces of leftover puddle water that dropped onto his palms when he had been storing his shoes at the entrance of the house.

"Oh no one is sweetie; I was just remembering when you were little." Carlos clambered up onto a chair on the other side of the table, parallel to James's seat.

"Mama, we aren't little anymore! Look, me and James are big!"

"Oh I can see that," Mrs. Garcia nodded, eagerly agreeing with her son, clasping her hands together,

"You're both big, so big in fact you can help me with taking out the trash!" The boys exchanged glances before groaning, annoyed that their claims at being bigger wound up giving them yet another chore to perform.

"Aww, Mama can't me and James just eat?" Carlos whined, looking expectantly for his mother to agree. He received no such luck. Isabella waved her index finger out in front of her, the other hand resting on the curve of her hip,

"Carlitos, what have I told you? If you do not help, you do not eat!"

"Si Madre." Carlos bit his lip, staring down at the ground in defeat. Mrs. Garcia nodded curtly, returning to the task of placing soiled dishes into the sink to clear the counter for the next dish that was to accompany the meal,

"Good, now vamos!" Both of the boys scooted their chairs back, the wood quietly screeching against the waxed wooden floorboards. They slid off of their seats, Carlos grumbling slightly underneath his breath while James wore a slight grin that rested at the corner of his lips, amused at how Carlos so easily folded under the orders of his mother. As they left the kitchen and marched up to the front door, James placed a hand on his friend's shoulder,

"If we do this fast, at least we have your mother's cooking to look forward to." Carlos's brown eyes lit up in delight, James's encouragement definitely boosting his spirits. The tiny boy clenched his left fist, raising it high in the air,

"Yeah, the faster we do this, the faster we can eat!"

"And play!" James interjected as he reached up, clasping his friend's clenched fist in his open palm. Carlos nodded his head happily in agreement, repeating James's phrase, solidifying their future plans,

"And play!"

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** I have no clue why but I thought it would be adorable for his mother to call Carlos "Carlitos" and maybe that's where he gets his nickname *shrugs* His papa definitely calls him Carlitos and Officer Garcia will definitely be making an appearance in this fic! Sorry that this chapter is short and that it took me so long to make another upload, I was mainly distracted with "Sibling Remembrance,"-it seems that you guys like that story more(there are more reveiws, alerts and favs on it) so I guess it doesn't matter all that much that I have slightly been ignoring this one ;) I will do my best to upload again-next chapter is them playing and having dinner…and other stuff but you'll have to wait a little bit before that because I am still in the middle of midterms and I'm half way done with the next chapter for 'SR' so I will probably get to post that first before the 7th chapter for 'CM'. Oh also, I created the name Isabella for Carlos's mother-typical Spanish name and yet it is elegant and I thought it fit. Same with Francisco for his father, although I guess it doesn't fit as well but oh well…at least his parents have names :D Thanks so much for reading and please let me know what you think! **


	7. Of Champions and Kings

**Chapter 7 - "Of Champions and Kings"**

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**Here is the long awaited next chapter of _Childhood Memories_, I am so sorry my dear readers for making you wait! I got preoccupied with my move back to CA & in writing my newest BTR stories-_The Scarecrow_ & _Glitter in the Hallway_. I've managed to complete them both and I'd love for you to check them out :)**

**Now that they are finished, I'll be working on this fanfic for awhile-it looks like there will actually be one more chapter to this cute little story before it comes to a close. Then I will be moving onto darker subject matter which should be exciting. I hope you've had fun reading my work!**

**As always, please read and review-critiques are most welcomed!**

**James & Carlos-BTR (c) Nickelodeon**

**_The Lion King_ (c) Disney**

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Chilled by the cold wind, the two boys scampered back inside the warm house as soon as they dumped the solid plastic trash bags at the mailbox. Heaving against the wooden frame, the pair finally managed to close the door as maple leaves and dried grass slid past, only to drift pleasantly onto heated carpet.

"Mama we're done!" Carlos called as he kicked off his soggy rain boots. James silently placed his shoes besides his friend's, preoccupied with removing his damp jacket.

"Muy bien mi hijo!" The plump lady sang from the kitchen, prying the stove open, "You can go play until I call you for dinner."

With a whoop, the duo took off up the stairs to Carlos's room.

"What do you want to do first?" Carlos asked, making his way through discarded sweaters, kicking aside boxers as he passed, hoping that his friend had not noticed.

"Hmm…maybe race cars?" James suggested, stepping over crumpled paper and a mound of socks.

"Alright, I call the blue one!"

"Ah not fair, you always get the blue one!" James complained as Carlos cheekily stuck out a tongue at him, sprinting ahead to reach the toy box.

"Eeeeek!" A creaking break screamed as a tiny Tonka truck rounded a sharp corner while a shiny blue racecar vroomed off a stack of withered paperback books. A torrent of chugging engines and imagined smoke filled the air as the pair ripped around the track, fighting for the attention and applause of an invisible audience watching anxiously for the victor of the pretend Nascar tournament.

The crossing of the final finish line did not result in the glory belonging to that of a trendy sapphire mustang but rather to a streak of red.

"Haha, yes! I knew I could beat you!" James yipped, enthralled that he had actually won despite being denied the supposedly better vehicle.

Carlos pouted before mumbling,

"You were just lucky! My tires were stuck today."

James, who could not be deterred from basking in the glow of his achievement, rolled his eyes,

"Yeah right!"

"No, no, I'm serious!" Carlos denied, tugging at the hem of James's oversized shirt. Pushing the short boy from himself, James chortled,

"I lapped you twice!"

Discouraged that his excuse was not gaining the desired effect Carlos had imagined it would, he shrugged his loss off by diverting their attention to a new challenge,

"Okay, okay, fine you won fair and square. But I bet you can't beat me at Chinese Checkers!"

"Hah, you're on!"

Right as the young boys were lifting the ancient wooden board and multicolored pins out of a stout toy box, a call from Mrs. Garcia flew up the stairs. And they knew what the muffled message meant: dinner was ready!

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Bounding down the stairs at a supersonic pace, the boys dashed to the kitchen only to hop up onto cushioned chairs. Mrs. Garcia emerged from the hot kitchen, a pot of steaming rice mixed with shredded adobe chicken, corn and black beans held between chili pepper red oven mitts soon settled between other authentic Mexican dishes, crowning the center of the table.

The dining table was lavish, the mouthwatering aromas of roasted corn chips, mashed refried beans smothered with pepperjack cheese and chipotle wafting in the air. To the right of the main course lay a plate with a series of flat tortillas stacked up as if it were the Leaning Tower of Pisa, glazed bowls containing salsa and sour cream resided on either end of the table, hiding the young, salivating faces eager to devour the display, pottery and all.

Patiently waiting for grace to be said, the trio inaugurated their meal with gusto. Carlos selected a tortilla, enjoying the soft texture of the bread while shaggy-headed James kept his mouth preoccupied by shoving spoonfuls of rice and beans into his orifice.

Nibbling at the flattened bread, Carlos paused to ask his mother,

"Mama, dónde está Papa?"

"Working late at the station, mi hermoso," She answered but quickly added, "Do not look so depressed Carlitos, he should be home later tonight. And as a special treat, we'll all watch your favorite movie."

His chubby, dour face lit up,

"We can watch _The Lion King _when Papa comes home?" His mother smiled kindly down at her son,

"Of course."

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As dishes were cleared and later placed inside a crowed dishwasher, so the hours did pass. In no time at all, Officer Garcia had been welcomed home by a secret attack masterminded by a pair of spider monkeys who clung to his long legs the second they slipped through the front door.

Dragging the two children across the floor as if they weighed nothing at all, the tan and rosy middle aged man set down his belongings on the counter,

"Buenas noches mi amor."

"Ah you…" Isabella wiped her wrinkled hands within a partially damp washcloth, leaning her elbows on the marble to bridge the gap between herself and her husband, "Looks like you've gained some weight."

"Must be all the doughnuts I've been eating down at the station, eh my love?"

"Mmm maybe so. I think you've been missing out on my cooking."

"I sure hope you've saved a plate for me?" His thick eyebrows rose in an exaggerated plea. The portly Isabella scoffed in mock disapproval all the while scooping out a plate of the man's favorites from that evening's spread,

"You really will gain weight Francisco! I see that your legs are already weighing you down." She commented, gazing down at the baggage giggling while prying to the man's legs.

Winking, Francisco pushed off the counter,

"Not to worry. I just have to exercise a bit."

And with that, and much effort, he extended his calf muscles and carried the boys clinging to his shins about the room before finally collapsing with them on the sofa.

"Hola Papi!" Carlos grinned, poking his head from beneath a misplaced pillow that had fallen from the couch upon human impact.

"Why hello my son! Ah and if it isn't James!" Francisco lifted a thigh to release the captured James from the tangled net of limbs, "Nice to see you boys. Ready for movie night?"

Two little heads whipped around thick and burly shins to look at one another, eyes shining and bright, before letting out a cheer. Grabbing the man's hands, they practically dragged him from the kitchen, straight into the living room while the mother slowly trailed along after the conglomerate piled on the couch.

Multiple half hours later found the family prancing along with stripped zebras, marching hyenas and mimicking an insane baboon's screeches and karate moves. Towards the climax, Carlos climbed to the ridge of the sofa, opened his mouth in a roar as Scar swiped at the red mane of the returning king. Taking the initiative, James pounced upon the distracted child, tackling him in a heap of growls and pretend claws.

"Muchachos!" Francisco interrupted their quarrel, "The fighting is over, shh and see what happens!" Mrs. Garcia gently clenched his hand in her own,

"Let them have their fun. Besides, this is my favorite part." In the dark he quietly smiled back into her deep brown eyes and whispered,

"That's why I told them to be quiet."

Raindrops pattered against a grieving sky, nauseous with grief and pain. As the water gracefully descended, the collective tears wiped away the debris left by the malicious tyrant whose doomed carcass was currently being devoured and burnt to a crisp beneath the flames below.

Paw by paw, the banished king rose to meet his rightful place at the summit of Pride Rock. Bearing stainless teeth and peering past the murky clouds, Simba roared. Moments later, a gathering of lionesses and two small man cubs seated safely away from the predators upon the screen, sent up a triumphant shout, establishing their victory over the once ravished Pride lands.

"Looks like you little lions enjoyed it." Mr. Garcia chuckled, pushing himself up from the leather cushions. Carlos leapt into his outstretched arms, patting his father impatiently,

"Claro que si Papi! Next time, why don't you lift me into the air like Simba was?"

"Oh, you mean" Hazel eyes twinkled as a cunning grin spread over the father's weather-beaten face, "Like this!"

Sent soaring upwards, Carlos spit out a stream of demands upon returning into his father's arms.  
"Again, again Papi! This time, higher!"

"Boy, aren't you feisty today? I know what will cure you Carlitos-come here!" Without warning, the lower half of Carlos's shirt was removed to reveal a plumb tummy and the next moment, Francisco's lips were blowing out air known as a raspberry, causing his cheerful son to break out into fit of giggles at the tickling sensation.

"Enough Francisco, you'll make poor Carlos get sick!"

"Ha hah…yeah Papi," Carlos agreed, wiggling unsuccessfully, "Hee heeh-let me down!"

"Alright you win mijo, but it's straight off to bed once your feet touch the floor!"

Once regaining his sense of balance, Carlos honored his agreement and bounded up the stairs but not before giving his mother's legs a tight squeeze. James heaved himself out of the mound of pillows that had been constructed into a crude fort, straightening his long bangs as he did so. Isabella hugged the scrany kid, cupping his cheek in a motherly fashion before instructing him to make sure Carlos brushed his teeth before he got into bed. Nodding, James turned to tail his companion already scampering up the beige carpet.

On his way past Mr. Garcia, a tan hand managed to ruffled James's hair, followed by a harmless insult that reached the young boy's ears before he could escape upstairs,

"Get a hair cut!"

James swiveled to face the grinning man and instead of becoming bitter, he simply laughed, waving farewell to the two parents waiting at the base, watching as the duo disappeared up the staircase.


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